The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) had administered the first Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) since 1980. With the implementation of the New Academic Structure (NAS), the HKEAA administered the final HKALE for school candidates in 2012 and the final HKALE for private candidates in 2013.

The HKALE was mainly taken by students upon completion of the two-year sixth-form education. HKALE qualification had always served as a significant credential for students to pursue further studies and employment.

The HKALE registered a total of over 900,000 entries over the past 34 years.

The HKALE was conducted in the months of March and June annually and the results were released in June/July. Syllabuses of HKALE subjects can be categorised into two types: Advanced Supplementary level (AS-level) and Advanced level (A-level). AS level subjects were taught in half the amount of periods required for A-level subjects, but they required the same level of intellectual rigour.

The results of the HKALE were expressed in terms of six grades A – F, of which grade A was the highest and F the lowest. Results below grade F were designated as unclassified (UNCL). Since 2002, fine grades used in 2001 and before (i.e A(01), A(02), B(03), B(04)) have been abolished.